


When the Riddler was Born

by madlysanecatlady



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-21
Updated: 2017-02-21
Packaged: 2018-09-26 03:57:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9861467
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madlysanecatlady/pseuds/madlysanecatlady
Summary: Ed feels compelled to return to the place where IT happened day after day. It takes him a while to realise why.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I know I’m usually Queen Fluff, but I’ve been gettin’ my angsty teen on lately so here we are.

It was an odd thing really, that Ed felt this constant need to come back here. He hated Oswald. It had to be true. Otherwise he never would have killed him, plunging him into those murky, freezing waters he now felt so compelled to look at day after day.

He kept reasoning with himself, trying his best to explain why he felt this need to return daily. Today his reasoning was closure. Oswald had been his best friend, his only friend truly if he were being honest, before the betrayal after all, it was only natural that Ed would need some closure after avenging Isabella’s death.

And yet, the closure never came. Only an emptiness in his chest that threatened to grow and swallow him up with each passing day. He had never expected this. He had expected to feel vindicated, relieved even; but never empty, even sad.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a white square of paper, expertly folding it into an origami lily. He knew Mrs. Cobblepot’s favourite flower had been lillies; he could only assume her son shared her taste. He dropped the delicate paper flower over the edge of the pier, watching it slowly soak up the frigid water and begin to sink, much as his friend had when Ed had pushed him in.

An odd chill began to assail his cheeks and Ed reached up, shocked to feel tears flowing freely down his face. He wasn’t as strong as he’d thought. He had thought he’d be able to cope alone. It appeared he had very much been wrong. He and Oswald had supported each other, made each other stronger; and now it appeared much of that strength had died when Ed had pulled that trigger and pushed Oswald into the water. A part of Ed had died with Oswald, he could see it now. He had loved the king of Gotham. Even if he had been too blind to see it. And yet, the revelation made Oswald’s betrayal sting all the more. Perhaps in some alternate world, one where they were less… them, they could have found happiness together, could have avoided destroying each other completely. Ed heaved a sigh and folded another lily and dropped it over the pier as well. He watched the paper curl and die, sinking down into the murk, and Ed could feel his soul sinking along with it. Without Oswald he wasn’t the same, could never be the same again.

Edward Nygma had died along with Oswald Cobblepot. An empty shell remained. An empty shell without a name.

“Given without asking, present from first breath, not even leaving after death.” Ed whispered to the water quietly. And as the words left his lips, he knew. Edward Nygma was no more - the Riddler had just been born.


End file.
